Just Passing Through
by InsanityIsClarity
Summary: Ford's travels in the portal take him to a new dimension... an abandoned ghost town in the middle of a place called the "Earth Kingdom."


**AN: Gravity Falls and Avatar: the Last Airbender are two of the most popular shows of the past 15 years, and both have huge fanbases. So why is this the first crossover between the two?**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender or Gravity Falls.**

And as the inter-dimensional gateway closed behind him, Stanford Pines knew he'd be in this dimension for a while. The openings were sporadic, and he only hoped that when the next gateway opened, he'd be the first person to find it. Ford had already been in this dimension two days, and usually it took him anywhere from a few minutes to a few years to find another gateway (although he couldn't really tell how long it was sometimes, each dimension seemed to have its own time system). Somehow, though, he had a feeling this would be one of his longer stays.

After staying in this dimension for two days, he had a good idea of what was happening. Since he arrived in nighttime, he had swiped some clothes fairly easily from a clothing line (he left a few nondescript silver coins in his wake to appease his conscious) and was currently wearing a dark green robe and brown pants. The next day, he asked eavesdropped around town (asking a question here and there, but not enough to be suspiciously out-of-the-know) and learned about the current war.

This dimension was truly fascinating to Ford. In all his 30 years of inter-dimensional travel, he had never seen a place quite like this one. Not only was it based mostly in the past, but many people had supernatural skills, or "bending" as they called it, to let them control the elements. Powers weren't exactly a rare trait to have, but so many people having such natural powers in one dimension was really unusual. It seemed that here, some people in each country could control said country's element.

There were the people who could control fire, "firebenders", and they were never talked about in a good light (apparently their country had started this huge war). There were people who could control water, "waterbenders", and while the water nation wasn't talked about a whole lot, it were clearly on the side of the Earth Kingdom. (He found out pretty quickly where he was.) Then there was the "eathbenders", the benders from around this area.

He'd even been able to see some earthbending. He had been told that the young boy who had been doing it was just a beginner, but the feat was impressive all the same. (It kind of reminded him of the powers of a teenager named Terra he had met in the desert of another dimension, minus the yellow-glow her hands had when she did it, but that's another story entirely.)

The only element he was confused about was air. He had heard the rumors that the Avatar (an all powerful being that had finally returned after been missing for 100 years) was the last airbender, but why he would be the last one was beyond Stanford. Most of the rumors here confused Ford to some extent. There was a rumor that the prince of the Fire Nation had been to the village last week, and that he had attacked the town's soldiers. But the rumors also said that he was alone. What nation sends their prince, unprotected, straight into the heart of enemy territory. He could've been doing spy work, but then why would he attack and reveal his identity?

Even though some of the rumors confused him, Ford eventually found the necessary information for surviving in the dimension, gathered up his gear, and was on his way. And, with all the traveling he was doing, Ford was once again thankful he had sprung for the levitating, super-powered roller skates two dimensions back.

Two hours of high speed "skating" later, the Pines saw another village on the horizon. Preparing himself to meet people again, he put all of his high tech gadgets in the large burlap sack he carried with him. His skates, socks, and glove canon fell on top of his black trench coat. He began to walk.

It took about twenty minutes to reach the village, and nearly half that to realize it was a ghost town. He kept walking towards it anyways. Just because a place looks uninhabited doesn't mean it is. And this place wasn't.

Walking down the main road, it wasn't long until a young man kneeling next to a fallen older man- about ten years older than Ford himself- came into view. The younger was trying to wake up the elder and failing, but the uneven rise and fall of the man's chest told Ford that the elder was still alive, just injured.

 _What happened here?_ Ford thought. _Why are these two in the middle of nowhere, one of them injured? How does one even get injured this badly out in the middle of a deserted road?_ That's when Ford's natural rationality kicked in. _First things first,_ he reminded himself, _finding out how the man is hurt, and see if you can help._

"What happened?" he asked. The younger startled, understandably focusing more on the other male than on his surroundings, and looked up. Ford gasped when he saw the kid's face: he looked no older than 18, yet he had a horrible burn scar over his left eye. _I wonder if Stanley has a burn scar on his back now because of me..._ no time for regrets! Here and now now, then and there later. _How did a kid get a burn scar like that on his face?_

Stanford Pines himself was no stranger to pain. Over his lifetime, he had been possessed by a demon, tortured for information in a couple of dimensions, and beaten to a pulp or mugged in others. Those kinds of things tended to leave scars. And yet the most he had on his face was a few faint lines from various knives. He couldn't even imagine a burn like that on his face (he'd had one somewhat similar on his chest, but your chest is a bit more durable than your eye).

Ford also knew about how sensitive people were about their scars, so instead of worrying about what had already happened, Ford focused on what was currently happening.

"Who are you?"

 _Names... what's a good generic name in this dimension?_ "My name is... Ley." _As in Stanley. NO! Not as in Stanley... just as in Ley. I've heard that name twice now... it's just Ley... just Ley._

* * *

"My name is Lee." _Great,_ Zuko thought, _another person here... another Lee. No, not Lee like the little kid. Different Lee, completely different person._

"Well, _Lee,_ as you can see, I'm kinda busy here," he gestured to his uncle, "so could you please leave?" His voice got harder towards the end, and the please leave was more of a command than a statement. He had to take care of Uncle Iroh, he didn't have time to deal with strangers that appeared out of nowhere.

The stranger looked down at Iroh before speaking again, his face considerably harder this time around. "I have medical supplies. Let me help."

"He is my uncle, I can take care of him!" _Please, please leave._

 _"_ His breathing is as erratic as it gets, kid. Did he get hit by a lot of energy?"ro

 _Don't answer him. Just wait it out, he'll leave eventually._ Zuko looked at his uncle, and saw that what the man- who had to have been about Iroh's age himself- was right about his breathing. _I can wait it out, but Uncle Iroh might not be able to._ "He took a lightening bolt to the chest."

Lee looked awfully calm for someone in his position. Zuko wondered why. "Ouch. Trust me when I say I know how much of a pain high concentrations of energy can be." _What? Was this guy insane, or what?_ "Luckily, I've got just the thing for it in this bag, if you'll just trust me, and not freak out."

 _Trust him? Why should I trust him? The only one I haven't gotten burned for trusting is Uncle. Uncle... he needs help... and I'm not exactly a healer..._

"Fine. I _trust_ you." _Hope this doesn't blow up in my face... like thing usually do..._

* * *

Ford saw the utterly bewildered look on the kid's face when he pulled out his magic heal cream, but didn't hesitate. _This stuff'll heal almost any normal wounds... as long as it's applied soon enough._

Stanford Pines stepped forward, mindful of the twin swords pointed at him in warning, and stooped down to the man. Taking off the cap to the jar, he put some of the cream on his hands, then rubbed it into the black scorch mark on the man's chest. After half a minute of rubbing it in, the black started to fade into red, and the red into tan until there was no mark left whatsoever.

Looking up again, he saw the kid, who still hadn't told him his name, gaping. It didn't last long however, for when the kid's uncle started groaning, the both of them looked down to see the man's eyes fluttering open briefly before closing once more.

His mission completed (there was really nothing left to complete in the ghost town), Ford turned around and started walking back the way he came. He was just nearing the exit of the town when he heard a voice behind him.

"Thank you."

Glad he could help, he gave a quick you're welcome with a smile before continuing his walk out of the town.

* * *

It had been another seven hours of hover-skating later when Ford saw yet another town on the horizon. He took his skates off and put them in his bag. But just as he was about to take off his black traveler's clothes (even in the heat, the futuristic material was more insulated then this dimension's clothes were) and put on his disguise, a portal opened right in front of him. He reached for his bag so he could take his stuff with him, but this portal was different. Instead of waiting for him to walk in, it just sucked him in, leaving his bag in the process. But as soon as he was sucked through, he understood why this portal wasn't like the others.

He was home.


End file.
